68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in tracheal mucus plug – a potential pitfall

Kunal Ramesh Chandekar,Apurva Sood,Kumar Rajender,Singh Harmandeep,Shrawan Kumar Singh 대한핵의학회 2022 핵의학 분자영상 Vol.56 No.1

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT is a well-acclaimed imaging modality for prostate cancer (PCa). However, many reports have highlighted PSMA radioligand uptake in a variety of benign tumors and lesions. We report a case of PCa in which 68 Ga-PSMA-11 uptake was noted in the tracheal lumen. However, 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT was done on a subsequent day, which demonstrated no abnormal radiotracer uptake or morphological lesion within the tracheal lumen. This case highlights an uncommon finding of PSMA ligand uptake in a tracheal mucus plug (non-prostatic benign uptake), which may be misinterpreted as a false-positive finding.

Theoretical and Experimental Study of UV Detection Characteristics of Pd/ZnO Nanorod Schottky Diodes

Shaivalini Singh,Pramod Kumar Tiwari,Hemant Kumar,Yogesh Kumar,Gopal Rawat,Sanjay Kumar,Kunal Singh,Ekta Goel,S. Jit,박시현 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2017 NANO Vol.12 No.11

In this work, we report theoretical and experimental study of Pd/ZnO nanorod (NR) Schottky diodes-based ultraviolet photodetector (UV-PD). The ZnO-NRs are deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates by using a low-temperature hydrothermal method. The surface morphology of the ZnO-NRs film is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM image shows vertically grown NRs with uniformity, and XRD shows the preferred (002) orientation of ZnO-NR films. The current–voltage characteristics of Pd/ZnO-NR Schottky diodes are studied under dark and UV light. A voltage bias from -1V to +1V is applied and the ratio of photocurrent to dark current was ( ~0.17 x 10 2 at V = 0.5V) calculated from the I–V curve. The value of responsivity was found to be 0.111A/W at λ = 365 nm and at bias = 0.50 V. An approximated UV-PD structure has also been numerically simulated using three-dimensional (3D) device simulator from Visual TCAD of Cogenda International. The simulated I–V characteristics have also been plotted under both dark and light conditions. The simulated results are found to be following the nature of experimental results.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on morbidity and survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy

Kunal Bikram Deo,Aditya Atul Kulkarni,Praveen Kumar-M,Gautham Krishnamurthy,Sunil Shenvi,Surinder Singh Rana,Rakesh Kapoor,Rajesh Gupta 한국간담췌외과학회 2021 Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery Vol.25 No.2

Backgrounds/Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for morbidity, length of hospital stay, or mortality after surgery, however, its impact on postoperative course and long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is not clear. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained database of 141 patients with periampullary and pancreatic head adenocarcinoma operated between January 2001 and March 2019. Clinico-pathological records and follow-up data were retrieved and analyzed. Cumulative hazard was computed for comparing the survival between DM and non-DM. Results: DM was present in 31/141 (21.9%) patients, while 16/31 (51.6%). were new-onset DM (NODM). Tumor size, lymphovascular & perineural invasion, type of surgery, lymph node positivity and R0 resection rate were comparable between diabetic and non-diabetic. There was no significant difference in postoperative pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying, infectious complication, hospital stay and mortality between DM and non-diabetics. Patients with DM had worse survival at 3 years (OS: HR, 3.11 [1.43-6.76] p=0.004, DFS: HR, 2.61 [1.23-5.53] p=0.01) and 5 years (OS: HR, 3.32 [1.46-7.53] p=0.004, DFS: HR, 2.87 [1.29-6.41] p=0.009). On multivariate analysis, DM (3 year OS: HR, 2.61 [1.14-5.98] p=0.022, DFS: HR, 2.19; p=0.058) (5 year OS: HR, 2.55; p=0.04, DFS: HR, 2.25; p=0.068) and pylorus resecting surgery were significantly associated with worse survival at 3 and 5 years. Conclusions: Preoperative DM has no significant effect on postoperative course but has negative impact on 3-year and 5-year OS and DFS after PD for pancreatic and periampullary adenocarcinoma.

[68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 Small Bowel Uptake in Crohn’s Disease: Revisiting the “Non-specificity” of PSMA Ligands

Kunal Ramesh Chandekar,Sindhu Tanigassalam,Anwin Joseph Kavanal,Singh Harmandeep,Anish Bhattacharya,Ravimohan Suryanarayan Mavuduru 대한핵의학회 2022 핵의학 분자영상 Vol.56 No.2

The rapidly evolving clinical utility of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT as an imaging modality for prostate cancer (PCa) has brought to the forefront a multitude of non-prostatic diseases also exhibiting PSMA radioligand uptake. We report a case of a 71-year-old male with PCa who underwent PSMA PET/CT for recurrence evaluation. The scan demonstrated [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in the distal ileum. Retrospective enquiry revealed that the patient was a known case of Crohn’s disease. This case highlights an uncommon finding of PSMA radioligand uptake in the distal small bowel (non-prostatic benign pathological uptake) in a patient with known Crohn’s disease, which may be misinterpreted in the evaluation of PCa.

Effect of sorbitan monostearate concentration on the thermal, mechanical and drug release properties of oleogels

Arfat Anis,Kunal Pal,Sai Sateesh Sagiri,Uvanesh Kasiviswanathan,Gauri Shankar Shaw,Meenakshi Singh 한국화학공학회 2016 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.33 No.5

The current study describes the effect of the concentration of Span 60 (gelator) on the properties of oleogels. Mustard oil was chosen as the representative vegetable oil. Microscopy showed that an increase in the gelator concentration resulted in the increase in the gelator network density. Thermal studies (crystallization kinetics and differential scanning calorimetry) indicated a 2-stage crystallization process. An increase in the gelator proportion resulted in the increase in the compatibility amongst the oleogel components. The formation of gelator network was governed by the interaction amongst the hydroxyl groups of Span 60. A variation in the gelator proportion resulted in the alteration in the d-spacing, crystallite size and lattice strain. The variation in the above-mentioned properties was found to affect the viscoelastic properties of the oleogels as was predicted from the Weichert model. The drug release studies suggested that the drug diffusion due to the gelator network relaxation during drug release was predominant as compared to the Fickian diffusion. The results suggested that it is possible to alter not only the release profile of drugs but also the physical properties (of the oleogels) by tailoring the gelator concentration.

Reproductive performance of genetically engineered mice housed in different housing systems

Shikha Yadav,Inderjeet Yadav,Kunal Pratap,Pradeep Kumar Tiwari,Vijay Pal Singh 한국실험동물학회 2017 Laboratory Animal Research Vol.33 No.2

The genetically engineered mice require special husbandry care and are mainly housed in Individually Ventilated Cage (IVC) systems and Static Micro Isolator Cages (SMIC) to minimize the risk for spreading undesirable microorganisms. However, the static micro isolation cage housing like SMIC are being replaced with IVC systems in many facilities due to a number of benefits like a higher density housing in limited space, better protection from biohazards and allergens and decreased work load due to decreased frequency of cage changing required in this system. The purpose of this study was to examine the reproductive performance of genetically engineered mice housed in individually ventilated cages (IVC) and Static Micro Isolator Cages (SMIC). When the B6C3-Tg (APPswe, PSEN1dE9) 85Dbo/Mmjax transgenic mice were housed in these two housing systems, the number of litters per dam, number of pups born per dam and number of pups weaned per dam were found to be slightly higher in the IVC as compared to the SMIC but the difference was not significant (P<0.05). In case of Growth Associated Protein 43 (GAP-43) knockout mice, the number of litters born per dam and the number of pups born per dam were marginally higher in the IVC as compared to those housed in SMIC but the difference was not significant (P<0.05). Only the number of pups weaned per dam were found to be significantly higher as compared to those housed in the SMIC system at P<0.05.

Comparison of short-term outcomes of open and laparoscopic assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary carcinoma: A propensity score-matched analysis

Utpal Anand,Rohith Kodali,Kunal Parasar,Basant Narayan Singh,Kislay Kant,Sitaram Yadav,Saad Anwar,Abhishek Arora 한국간담췌외과학회 2024 Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery Vol.28 No.2

Backgrounds/Aims: Postoperative pancreatic fistula is the key worry in the ongoing debate about the safety and effectiveness of total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (TLPD). Laparoscopic-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy (LAPD), a hybrid approach combining laparoscopic resection and anastomosis with a small incision, is an alternative to TLPD. This study compares the short-term outcomes and oncological efficacy of LAPD vs. open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD). Methods: A retrospective analysis of data of all patients who underwent LAPD or OPD for periampullary carcinoma at a tertiary care center in Northeast India from July 2019 to August 2023 was done. A total of 30 LAPDs and 30 OPDs were compared after 1:1 propensity score matching. Demographic data, intraoperative and postoperative data (30 days), and pathological data were compared. Results: The study included a total of 93 patients, 30 underwent LAPD and 62 underwent OPD. After propensity score matching, the matched cohort included 30 patients in both groups. The LAPD presented several advantages over the OPD group, including a shorter incision length, reduced postoperative pain, earlier initiation of oral feeding, and shorter hospital stays. LAPD was not found to be inferior to OPD in terms of pancreatic fistula incidence (Grade B, 30.0% vs. 33.3%), achieving R0 resection (100% vs. 93.3%), and the number of lymph nodes harvested (12 vs. 14, p = 0.620). No significant differences in blood loss, short-term complications, pathological outcomes, readmissions, and early (30-day) mortality were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: LAPD has comparable safety, technical feasibility, and short-term oncological efficacy.

Silibinin Radiosensitizes EGF Receptor-knockdown Prostate Cancer Cells by Attenuating DNA Repair Pathways

Mohit Rajput,Deepali Mishra,Kunal Kumar,Rana P. Singh 대한암예방학회 2022 Journal of cancer prevention Vol.27 No.3

Emergence of radioresistance in prostate cancer (PCa) cells is a major obstacle in cancer therapy and contributes to the relapse of the disease. EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling plays an important role in the development of radioresistance. Herein, we have assessed the modulatory effects of silibinin on radiation-induced resistance via DNA repair pathways in EGFR-knockdown DU145 cells. shRNA-based silencing of EGFR was done in radioresistant human PCa DU145 cells and effects of ionizing radiation (IR) and silibinin were assessed using clonogenic and trypan blue assays. Furthermore, radiosensitizing effects of silibinin on PCa in context with EGFR were analyzed using flow cytometry, comet assay, and immunoblotting. Silibinin decreased the colony formation ability with an increased death of DU145 cells exposed to IR (5 Gray), with a concomitant decrease in Rad51 protein expression. Silibinin (25 μM) augmented the IR-induced cytotoxic effect in EGFR-knockdown PCa cells, along with induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Further, we studied homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways in silibinin-induced DNA double-strand breaks in EGFR-knockdown DU145 cells. Silibinin down-regulated the expression of Rad51 and DNA-dependent protein kinase proteins without any considerable effect on Ku70 and Ku80 in IR-exposed EGFR-knockdown PCa cells. The pro-survival signaling proteins, phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2, phospho-Akt and phospho-STAT3 were decreased by silibinin in EGFR-deficient PCa cells. These findings suggest a novel mechanism of silibinin-induced radiosensitization of PCa cells by targeting DNA repair pathways, HR and NHEJ, and suppressing the pro-survival signaling pathways, ERK1/2, Akt and STAT3, in EGFR-knockdown PCa cells.

Long-term complications after extrahepatic cyst excision for type IV-A choledochal cysts

Utpal Anand,Aaron George John,Rajeev Nayan Priyadarshi,Ramesh Kumar,Basant Narayan Singh,Kunal Parasar,Bindey Kumar 한국간담췌외과학회 2023 Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery Vol.27 No.4

Forty-five adults with type IV-A choledochal cysts (CDC) who underwent extrahepatic cyst excision from January 2013 to December 2021 were followed up for a median interval of 25 months (range, 2 to 10 years) to observe the long-term complications in the remaining intrahepatic cyst. Late complications in varying combinations were seen in 10 patients, which included cholangitis and/or intrahepatic stones in 9 patients, intrahepatic bile duct stenosis with stones in 2 patients, anastomotic stricture in 6 patients, and left lobar atrophy with intrahepatic stones in 3 patients. Out of 6 patients who required re-do hepaticojejunostomy (HJ), three patients had left lobe atrophy with patent HJ anastomosis and a recurrent attack of cholangitis on follow-up at 3, 8, and 10 years. Complications occur frequently after extrahepatic cyst excision for type IV-A CDC and require a long-term follow-up.

Level of Awareness of Cervical and Breast Cancer Risk Factors and Safe Practices among College Teachers of Different States in India: Do Awareness Programmes Have an Impact on Adoption of Safe Practices?

Shankar, Abhishek,Rath, G.K.,Roy, Shubham,Malik, Abhidha,Bhandari, Ruchir,Kishor, Kunal,Barnwal, Keshav,Upadyaya, Sneha,Srivastava, Vivek,Singh, Rajan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.3

Background: Breast and cervical cancers are the most common causes of cancer mortality among women in India, but actually they are largely preventable diseases. Although early detection is the only way to reduce morbidity and mortality, there are limited data on breast and cervical cancer knowledge, safe practices and attitudes of teachers in India. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of awareness and impact of awareness programs in adoption of safe practices in prevention and early detection. Materials and Methods: This assessment was part of a pink chain campaign on cancer awareness. During cancer awareness events in 2011 at various women colleges in different parts in India, a pre-test related to cervical cancer and breast cancer was followed by an awareness program. Post-tests using the same questionnaire were conducted at the end of the interactive session, at 6 months and 1 year. Results: A total of 156 out of 182 teachers participated in the study (overall response rate was 85.7 %). Mean age of the study population was 42.4 years (range- 28-59 yrs). There was a significant increase in level of knowledge regarding cervical and breast cancer at 6 months and this was sustained at 1 year. Adoption of breast self examination (BSE) was significantly more frequent in comparison to CBE, mammography and the Pap test. Magazines and newspapers were sources for knowledge regarding screening tests for breast cancer in more than 60% of teachers where as more than 75% were educated by doctors regarding the Pap test. Post awareness at 6 months and 1 year, there was a significant change in alcohol and smoking habits. Major reasons for not doing screening test were found to be ignorance (50%), lethargic attitude (44.8%) and lack of time (34.6%). Conclusions: Level of knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, symptoms and screening methods was high as compared to cervical cancer. There was a significant increase in level of knowledge regarding cervical and breast cancer at 6 months and this was sustained at 1 year. Adoption of BSE was significantly greater in comparison to CBE, mammography and the Pap test. To inculcate safe practices in lifestyle of people, awareness programmes such as pink chain campaign should be conducted more widely and frequently.